"Hitchcock," starring Anthony Hopkins as the iconic Alfred Hitchcock and set during the making of his 1960 classic "Psycho," opens in local theaters this Friday (Dec. 7). Here are five cool things to know about director Sacha Gervasi's film before heading to the theaters:

5. In the flesh. Decades before he would portray him on-screen, Hopkins met Hitchcock when his agent introduced the actor -- then a young man -- to the filmmaker in a restaurant. Hopkins' appreciation for Hitchcock dates back years earlier, to 1960, when he first saw "Psycho" in a theater and became what he calls a Hitchcock fan for life.

4. You again? Norman Bates, the titular psycho in Hitchcock's film, was inspired by real-life murderer Ed Gein -- which is noteworthy since this isn't the first time Hopkins has starred in a movie linked to Gein. He was also the basis for the killer known as Buffalo Bill in 1991's "Silence of the Lambs," a film for which Hopkins won his Oscar.

3. Thank you very much, indeed. If there's any doubt as to whom Hitchcock's muse was, it can be put to rest by this wonderful quote from the filmmaker that is included in the studio-provided production notes for Gervasi's film: "I beg permission to mention by name only four people who have given me the most affection, appreciation, encouragement, and constant collaboration. The first of the four is a film editor, the second is a scriptwriter, the third is the mother of my daughter Pat, and the fourth is as fine a cook as ever performed miracles in a domestic kitchen. And their names are Alma Reville."

2. Feels like the first time. Reville is portrayed in "Hitchcock" by British actress and Oscar winner Helen Mirren, who -- despite coming from a similar background and knowing many of the same people -- had never before worked with Hopkins. "We both knew it was our destiny to someday work together," Mirren said, "but when this project came about, we were both of the mind, 'Why did it take so long?'"

1. Becoming Hitch. Hopkins required a daily trip to the makeup department to transform into Hitchcock, subjecting himself to a process that included the application of a silicone "horseshoe" designed to resemble Hitchcock's neck, chin and cheeks; false earlobes and a nose tip; contact lenses to mute Hopkins' piercing blue eyes; a coast of dingy paint for his teeth; and, finally, a hairpiece. Despite all that, the process took only 90 minutes daily.